177 matching verse commentaries
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the king loved Esther above all the women,.... The virgins he made his concubines, as next explained; though Jarchi interprets it of married women, for such he supposes were gathered and brought to him, as well as virgins: and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; who had been purified, and in their turns...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Then the king made a great feast unto all his princes and servants, even Esther's feast,.... A feast to all his nobles, courtiers, and ministers of state, on account of his marriage with Esther; which, according to the Greek version, was held seven days; but, according to Josephus, it lasted a whole month (t): and he made a release to the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And when the virgins were gathered together the second time,.... Some think this second collection is that which was made when Esther was taken and brought to the keeper of the women, called the second, in reference to a former collection of them, made when Vashti was taken and made queen; but as there is no proof of any such collection then made,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Esther had not showed her kindred nor her people, as Mordecai had charged her,.... As not before, so neither since she was made queen, see Es 2:10, though, according to the Targums, she was urged to it by the king himself: for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was brought up with him: which showed great humility in her,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
In those days, while Mordecai sat in the king's gate,.... Being, as before observed, an officer at court: two of the king's chamberlains, Bigthan and Teresh, of those that kept the door; of the inner court, as Aben Ezra, of the doors of his bedchamber; perhaps they were the chief of his bodyguards, as the Septuagint version; in later times, such...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the thing was known to Mordecai,.... But by what means does not appear; the Jewish writers say (c), these two men were Tarsians, and spoke in the Tarsian language, which they thought Mordecai did not understand; but he, being skilled in languages, overheard them, and understood what they said; but, according to Josephus (d), it was discovered...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And when inquisition was made of the matter, it was found out,.... That these two men had entered into a conspiracy to take away the king's life; full proof and evidence were given of it: therefore they were both hanged on a tree; Josephus (e) says they were crucified; but hanging was frequent among the Persians, as Grotius observes, and better...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
INTRODUCTION TO Esther 3 This chapter gives an account of the promotion of Haman, and of the mortification of him by Mordecai, who refused to bow to him, upon which he vowed revenge on him, and on all his people the Jews, Es 3:1, for which purpose, through a false representation of them, he obtained letters of the king, and sent to the deputies of...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
After these things,.... After the marriage of Esther, and the discovery of the conspiracy to take away the king's life, five years after, as Aben Ezra observe, at least more than four years, for so it appears from Es 3:7 did King Ahasuerus promote Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite; whom both the Targums make to descend from Amalek, and to be...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the king's servants that were in the king's gate,.... Or court, all his courtiers; for it cannot be thought they were all porters, or such only that bowed and reverenced Haman; gave him divine honours, as to a deity; for such were given to the kings of Persia (k), and might be given to their favourites, and seems to be the case; for, though...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Then the king's servants, which were in the king's gate,.... Observing the behaviour of Mordecai towards Haman from time to time: said unto Mordecai, why transgressest thou the king's commandment? of giving reverence to Haman, which they knew he could not be ignorant of.
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Now it came to pass, when they spake daily unto him,.... Putting him in mind of his duty to obey the king's command, suggesting to him the danger he exposed himself to, pressing him to give the reasons of his conduct: and he hearkened not unto them; regarded not what they said, and continued disobedient to the king's order, and disrespectful to...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence,.... For, after the information given him, he observed and watched him, to see whether he bowed and did him reverence or not: then was Haman full of wrath; exceedingly displeased and angry; it was such a mortification to him he could not bear.
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone,.... That would not be a sufficient gratification of his revenge; he was too low and mean a person only to wreak his vengeance on; nothing short of his whole nation would satisfy him: for they had showed him the people of Mordecai; that they were the Jews; for Mordecai had told the king's...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
In the first month, that is the month Nisan,.... Which was the first month of the sacred year of the Jews, by divine appointment, Exodus 12:2, and there called Abib, and answers to part of February and part of March; from hence it is clear this book was written by a Jew, and very probably by Mordecai: in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus; four...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Haman said unto King Ahasuerus, Or "had said" (r), as some choose to render it; nor indeed is it likely that Haman should cast lots to know when would be a proper time to destroy the Jews, until he had got leave of the king to do it: there is a certain people scattered abroad, and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdom;...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
If it please the king, let it be written, that they may be destroyed,.... That is, a law made, signed and sealed, for their destruction, and letters written and sent everywhere, ordering it to be put in execution: and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver to the hands of those who have the charge of the business, to bring it into the king's...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews' enemy. As a token of his affection for him, and a mark of honour to him; with the Persians (w) for a king to give a ring to anyone was a token and bond of the greatest love and friendship imaginable; and it may be this was given to Haman,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the king said unto Haman, the silver is given unto thee,.... The 10,000 talents of silver Haman proposed to pay into the treasury were returned to him, or the king out of his great munificence refused to take them: the people also, to do with them as seemeth good unto thee; that is, the people of the Jews; he gave him full power to do with...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Then were the king's scribes called, on the thirteenth day of the first month,.... The month Nisan, Es 3:7, after Haman had leave and power from the king to destroy the Jews, and his ring given him in token of it; the king's scribes or secretaries of state were called together on that day, to write the letters for that purpose: and there was...